I agree with Khai... I have passed on purchasing plugins and getting side-grade price breaks on software purchases because they asked for my serial number.

For instance, C4D offers a price break on their software if you have purchased Shade, but there's no way in heck I'd let my Shade serial number end up in Maxon's database.  It's not that I distrust their site, but I have no idea what security they use to safeguard that information.

And no offense to Renderosity, but I wouldn't let them have that info either.  For pretty much the same reason.

Does the demo allow importation of OBJ files?  It's been so long since I've messed with a demo version I have NO clue.  

If they were going to "cripple" a demo though, I would imagine that might be one of the ways they would do so.

If it's one of your main purchasing criteria though, I can tell you that the full version DOES import Wavefront OBJ files nicely.  It's the format most of us use when creating our own Poser content...

I think I spent mine on the Time Travel series western wear... not sure at the moment what I spent it on.  I think I had a penny left over when I was done, lol.

The dinosaurs they're promoting now look interesting, but all the "famous" species were in the P6 Volume 1 set.  Now they're down to the species that your average gradeschooler couldn't identify.  :P  They're decently priced with the passport discount though.

Swinging it back to the vehicle topic...

If there is a real-world equivalent, then there is no IP theft, is there?  Is there a real-world equivalent to this vehicle?

I mean, if I sell a model of a Sherman tank, New Line pictures can't sue me for recreating a vehicle that appears in "Saving Private Ryan" because they didn't make it up in the first place.

(And technically this discussion belongs in another forum...)

There are many demos to try, and I would suggest using the demos before you buy.  Lots of programs look great, but end up frustrating you with counter-intuitive workspaces.  There's nothing worse than knowing exactly HOW to model something, but find you can't because you either can't find the tool, or can't move the view around efficiently enough to do it!  So try any software you're thinking about buying first before making a decision.

I got very good deals on Hexagon 2 (through the Platinum club on DAZ), Shade 8 (through Content Paradise), but I find myself liking other packages better because I can actually move the window around without a lot of headaches.  So I now have what would be considered a collection of very expensive programs (had I not gotten the deals or upgrades) that I don't like to use.

I would think of a very basic modeling excersize, like making a pair of dice, and try to do it in each of the demos.  Note how long it takes you to find and use the tools needed to do this in each package.  That might give you an idea if a particular piece of software would be useful to you.

Also consider how much helpful support you'd get for each program you consider.  The Cinema 4D forum here is very useful, but Shade's section doesn't have a lot of traffic.  And Hexagon doesn't even have one!  It always helps to get started in a new program if you have somewhere to go to ask all those fiddly little questions.

And for the record, I would advise against Carrera.  It's been years since I've used it, but even back then it was used more for rendering scenes created in other modeling programs.  I wouldn't consider it a useful modeling tool.

Awesome!  I had downloaded the regular templates but either your seam guide wasn't there then, or I did not notice them at the time.  Thank you!

This link is no longer working... can anyone point me to its new location?  Yes, I'm slow... :-*

I don't know... I see a lot of repetition... same scene at different angles, same scene with different materials. I see a LOT of simple spheres with Bryce skies, etc. In the "Surreal" category, I did see some Poser products I recognized like a japanese gate and a temple, but no artwork that looked familiar, except a trio of flaming jack-o-lanterns. Since I don't remember the original artist, I can't cry foul on that one just yet either. Doesn't hurt to check it out though.

And coming soon, a freebie for the divination pack... a scrying crystal.

Carolly, I've seen weirder happen on the forum. :) DAZ's weekly freebie is here: http://free.daz3d.com/ In the upper left corner, you'll see a link to "Free Model Archive". Their hat is halfway down the resulting page.

Yep... I forgot to specify that I'm updating it specifically to work with M3/V3 Don't have to be platinum to get the DAZ freebies. Go to their weekly freebie and there's a link to the Freebies archive on the same page. Hmm... I'd put a link, but I'm not sure if that would get the thread moved to the product showcase forum, between the link and my talking about my product. If you need the URL let me know and I'll IM it to you.

tag I haven't even successfully animated my own walk cycle yet, but hey... :)

I'm currently in the process of updating my "Mardi Gras Party Pack" which was originally made for M1/V1 two years ago. It will include (among other things) a jester's hat and tunic. If you can wait that long, I still have to joint out a couple items, get my testers to look it over, then go through the Rendo approval process. There is a four-point jesters hat available at DAZ, but I have no idea as to its quality, and it doesn't come with anything else.

Yep... very sweet. Thanks!

The beads will now have bones also, instead of being molded strands. They will be movable, and somewhat twistable. (I only have the short strand for now which isn't very exciting... more to come)